A Countdown To Zero
by Carbuncle
Summary: Everything must come to an end... This is the final countdown...


FINAL FANTASY VII  
  
A Countdown To Zero  
  
"We're all gonna die!", yelled Cloud, as he burst into Seventh Heaven.  
  
The whole party looked up at him in horror.  
  
"Wh-What do you mean, Cloud?!", Aeris panicked.  
  
"I just found out! Something called a 'countdown' has been tickin' since last year, and anytime soon its gonna reach zero, then we're all gonna be dead!"  
  
"Dead?!", Barrett coughed. "The hell are you talkin' 'bout? We ain't gonna be squat!"  
  
"I know it might be difficult to believe, but its true! I swear!"  
  
Cait Sith spoke up. "I believe you may be right, Cloud."  
  
"Whaddya know, spy?!", choked Barrett.  
  
"I've seen it too. I've seen the 'countdown.' I see it all the time whenever I look to the future."  
  
"And?", said a worried Tifa.  
  
Cait Sith spoke in a serious tone. "The countdown began last year, just like Cloud said. Since then it has ticked away and stolen precious time in our life. Eventually the countdown will end, and then..."  
  
"Then what?", Aeris asked.  
  
"I have no idea.", Cait Sith told her. "But I think it could mean the end of time as we know it."  
  
"No...", slurred Red XIII. "We-We can't let that happen."  
  
"There isn't any way to stop it.", said Cait Sith. "We just have to accept the end may be near."  
  
"I ain't acceptin' that!", Barrett shouted. "Time ain't goin' nowhere! 'Sides, I still got too much left to do!"  
  
"Maybe we should get out of Midgar for a while.", Vincent suggested. "Perhaps we may be safe somewhere else."  
  
"That's not gonna work either.", Cait Sith sighed. "I reckon that the whole planet could suffer from the countdown."  
  
"I'd like to know more about the countdown. Let's go and see Bugenhagen.", bloated Cloud.  
  
The whole party set off to Cosmo Canyon on the Highwind. It didn't take long to get there, and once they had arrived, they marched up to the observatory to find Bugenhagen.  
  
"Grandfather? Are you here?!", yelled Red XIII as he bounded into the building.  
  
"Ho ho hooo! Hello, Nanaki! Oh, I see you brought your weird friends along too. How are you all doing?", the old man laughed.  
  
"Hi, Bugenhagen. I hope you realise I'm too upset to pretend I like you, but we think the planet may be in danger.", Cloud told him.  
  
"Planet in danger? Oh, so you found out about the countdown?"  
  
"So, it's true...", thought Cloud.  
  
"Dammit!", grumbled Cid. "I don't wanna die yet! I gotta get a grip on reality first! Argh! I'm goin' insane!"  
  
"I should probably make peace with my dad before I die.", mumbled Yuffie. "But then again, I don't really wanna go back to Wutai. That Chris guy might still be there..."  
  
"Bugenhagen, isn't there anything that we can do?!", Cloud gurgled in fear.  
  
"You can either wait here to die, or you could go out and live the best you can of the little life you have left."  
  
"He's right, y'know.", flinched Barrett. "Let's enjoy our last few days on earth."  
  
"Days?!", Bugenhagen giggled. "You'll be lucky!"  
  
"Bugenhagen, how much time do we *really* have left?!", retorted Cloud.  
  
"Half an hour."  
  
"How the hell d'ya know that?!", asked Barrett.  
  
"Look over there.", Bugenhagen pointed outside. The party strolled out onto the cliff top. They could see a huge clock in the sky. "I can't see that number. Damn eyesight. Cloud, what does it say?"  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"F-Five minutes...", Cloud eventually said.  
  
"Well, we're boned!", Barrett groaned in frustration.  
  
"No, we're not!", Tifa shrieked. "We can't, and won't, let it end like this! C'mon, Cloud, you have to think of something!"  
  
"I can't, dammit!", snarled Cloud. "Look up there, Tifa! That frickin' clock has sealed our fate! It's all over!"  
  
"No!", Tifa cried. "It'll never be over! Not as long as we believe! We have to try!"  
  
"Hey, if it is our last night on earth, then I don't wanna spend it being depressed! I'm goin' to have fun!", Yuffie exclaimed before running off.  
  
"She's right!", Cid said. "I'm not gonna worry about somethin' that we can't even do anythin' about. C'mon, Vincent. Shera'll make us a nice cup of tea!"  
  
"Yes, goodbye everyone. Nice to have met you all.", Vincent smiled, before he and Cid left the party.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm goin' to Junon! See ya!" Cait Sith bounced away.  
  
Only Cloud, Tifa, Barrett, Aeris and Red XIII remained.  
  
"Now I know how Justin and Feena felt when Sue left the party in 'Grandia.'", Cloud mumbled.  
  
"I am going to join Grandpa for the evening.", sighed Red XIII. "So long, everyone. Thank you for everything."  
  
Bugenhagen and Red XIII made their way back inside the observatory.  
  
"So, like, what now?", wondered Aeris.  
  
"I'm goin' back to Midgar to be with Marlene. I'll ask Cid to borrow the Highwind. Cloud, can I have the PHS?"  
  
"Sure.", Cloud handed it to Barrett, who then walked off.  
  
"Ahem!", Tifa cleared her throat, and glared at Aeris.  
  
"Yes, Tifa?", Aeris asked. "Did you want to say something?"  
  
"Some time alone with Cloud would be nice.", she whispered in response.  
  
"Okay, I getcha.", Aeris said. "I think I'll go bungee jumping. I've always wanted to."  
  
"But Aeris, you haven't even got a bungee cord...", Cloud coughed.  
  
"Eh, like I need one.", Aeris ran to the edge of the cliff and leapt off. "Aahh! No rope!"  
  
An almighty crash shook the canyon.  
  
"Oh my God! They killed Aeris!", screamed Tifa.  
  
"You bea-"  
  
"5... 4... 3... 2...", the clock chimed.  
  
"Aw, crap!", growled Cloud.  
  
THE END__________  
  
"Hey, Cloud here. So, the countdown came and went... Or did it? Or did it?! Okay, so maybe it did, but hey, that still doesn't mean that we can't have fun, huh? If you really wanna read some good humor then maybe you might wanna try reading something else from now on, cause the countdown is over. Me? I'm looking forward to a long vacation, complete with ice-cream and Tifa. Mmm, Tifa. Well, g'night everyone!"  
  
"Hey, Tifa here. Like Cloud said, the countdown is over, but hopefully we can still make you laugh in another way. Keep humor alive forever!"  
  
"Yo, Barrett here. I'm tellin' ya to keep smilin', ya hear?! Cause if you ever make Marlene cry, then I'm gonna come lookin' for ya!"  
  
"Hey, Cid here. Don't smoke crack!"  
  
"Hello, Vincent here. Never resort to violence."  
  
"Hiya, Yuffie here. I've been told to tell people not to steal... Uh, don't steal. Now, where the hell is my materia?!"  
  
"Hello, Red XIII here. Be nice to your grandparents while they're still alive. They might be dead tomorrow."  
  
"Hey, Cait Sith here. Do like I do, and blow stuff."  
  
"Hey, Aeris here. I'm speaking to you from beyond the grave. Please try to live life to the fullest, because you never know when you're gonna go. Bye-bye." 


End file.
